The Indianapolis Colts will play in the first regular-season game in Berlin.
The NFL announced Wednesday that the 2025 Berlin game will be played at Olympic Stadium. The Colts’ opponent and date of game will be announced later.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers defeated the Seattle Seahawks in Munich in 2022 in the NFL’s first regular-season game in Germany.
The NFL played five American Bowl games at Olympic Stadium between 1990 and 1994, and it also was home to NFL Europe’s Berlin Thunder from 2003-07.
“Germany is an important market for the NFL, with continued growth in fandom and passion for the game,” NFL Germany general manager Alexander Steinforth said in a statement. “After four successful international games in-market across Munich and Frankfurt, we’re thrilled to have the Colts as the designated team for our first-ever regular season game in Berlin in 2025 — a city that holds so much football history and is a true testament to the international expansion and growth of the league.”
The league announced Berlin as a host city in December.
“The NFL is making history in Berlin, and the Colts are proud to be part of this landmark event in one of the world’s most historic cities,” Colts owner Jim Irsay said. “The NFL has become a global brand, and we’re looking forward to growing American football in Germany and expanding Colts Nation’s footprint around the world. This game also provides a unique opportunity for our local Indiana partners to engage with German businesses, customers and fans this season and in the future.”
The NFL can schedule up to eight league-operated regular-season games internationally in 2025. Two games will be played in London at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and one game in Madrid at the Bernabéu Stadium. The New York Jets and the Cleveland Browns are the designated teams for Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
The Jacksonville Jaguars will return to Wembley Stadium in London for a “home” game. So far, 55 regular-season NFL games have been played around the world throughout the league’s history, with London, Munich, Frankfurt, São Paulo, Mexico City and Toronto all hosting games.
The Colts have played in two regular-season games internationally, including London (one) and Frankfurt (one).
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
A statue of Peyton Manning by Ryan Feeney is dusted with snow outside Lucas Oil Stadium after an NFL football game between the Indianapolis Colts and the Jacksonville Jaguars, Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Chelsea was back on the coaching carousel under its American ownership on Thursday after Enzo Maresca left his position as manager following a reported deterioration in his relationship with the Premier League club’s hierarchy.
There was no immediate announcement regarding the successor to Maresca. The BBC and The Athletic reported that Liam Rosenior, who coaches French team Strasbourg — a club in the same ownership group as Chelsea, is a leading contender.
Maresca was midway through his second year in charge, having won the Conference League and Club World Cup in his first season at Chelsea.
However, the team has endured a turbulent last few months — Chelsea has won just one of its last seven Premier League matches to drop to fifth place — while Maresca publicly expressed his unhappiness at a lack of support at the club in a post-match news conference on Dec. 13, when the Italian said he had just experienced his “worst” 48 hours at Chelsea.
“With key objectives still to play for across four competitions including qualification for Champions League football," Chelsea said in a statement, "Enzo and the club believe a change gives the team the best chance of getting the season back on track.”
Chelsea has advanced to the English League Cup semifinals, where it will play Arsenal over two legs, and begins its FA Cup campaign away to second-tier Charlton on Jan. 10. In the Champions League, Chelsea is in 13th place in the 36-team league, two points off the eight automatic qualification spots with two rounds of matches left.
Chelsea is seeking a fifth full-time manager since the takeover of the club by American investors, fronted by Todd Boehly, in May 2022.
In the past 3 1/2 years, Chelsea has spent hundreds of million of pounds (dollars) in what looked from the outside a chaotic bid to sign players to refresh its squad. It now has one of the youngest and most talented squads in the Premier League, with star players including Cole Palmer, Enzo Fernandez and Estevao, but managers have struggled to get the players to gel as a team after so many changes.
Out of all the managers to have led Chelsea in that period — and they include Thomas Tuchel and Mauricio Pochettino, the current coaches of England and the United States, respectively — Maresca appeared to have handled the chaos the best.
Yet he reportedly didn’t feel appreciated given the tough working conditions and, according to the BBC, recently switched agents. A few weeks ago, media reports in England linked Maresca with a possible move to Manchester City — where he briefly worked under Pep Guardiola — should Guardiola eventually leave, though Maresca played the reports down.
Chelsea’s results have taken a downturn since a 3-0 win over Barcelona in the Champions League in November.
The team’s only league win in the past month was over Everton, 2-0. There have been draws with Arsenal, Newcastle and Bournemouth (twice) and losses to Leeds and Aston Villa.
Its next game is at plays second-place Man City on Sunday.
Chelsea said its achievements under Maresca “will remain an important part of the club’s recent history, and we thank him for his contributions to the club.”
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
FILE - Chelsea's head coach Enzo Maresca reacts during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Atalanta and Chelsea, in Bergamo, Italy, on Dec. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni, File)
FILE - Chelsea's head coach Enzo Maresca sits on a bench ahead of the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Qarabag and Chelsea in Baku, Azerbaijan, on Nov. 5, 2025. (AP Photo, File)
Chelsea's head coach Enzo Maresca, left, gives instructions to Estevao during the English Premier League soccer match between Chelsea and Bournemouth in London, England, Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
